Chute.



Patented sept. 2, I902.

No. 708,08l.

F. L. SA CKET-T.

C H U T E.

(Application filed m. 17, 1902.

(No Model.)

vwemfoz r Noam: PETERS c0. mom-Lima, WASHING UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. SACKETT, OF FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

CH UTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,081 dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed March 17, 1902. $eria1No. 98,477. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l FRANK L. SAOKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fredonia, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chutes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in chutes for delivering coal or other material from one receptacle to another, and more especially to means for conveying the material either in the line of the general direction of I the chute or at an angle thereto.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in"which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my preferred form of chute. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the chute. Fig. 3 is a plan View showing in dotted line two adjusted positions of the chute. I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 2.

Myadjustable chute, which I desire to term a flexible chute, is preferably made of sheet-steel and consists of a main body portion A, having a flat bottom A bent up at substantially right angles to form side portions A which are in turn bent to form hooked portions A The body portion is thus adapted to telescopically engage the end of a similar chute, and thereby form an extension thereof. It is to be noted, however, that, so far as my invention is concerned, said flexible chute may be a complete chute of itself. In order to strengthen the end of the chute and hold the same in shape, I provide a strengthening-band B. Near the lower end of the portion A is rigidly secured the bar or support D, which extends across the top of the chute and is secured to the sides thereof. The section 0 is pivotally secured to the bar D and portion A by rivets or bolts d d. Said section is made ofsheet-steel and is substantially rectangular in lateral cross section, while the same is longitudinally tapered,

whereby said section is adapted to fit over the similar section 0 at its lower end. The pivots d d are longitudinally in line, and said line is perpendicular to the plane of the bottom A. By this arrangement'of the pivots the section 0 is free to swing in the plane of the bottom of the chute, but is held rigid against movement in any other direction. The section 0 is pivotally secured {to the section 0 by the rivets or bolts (1 d, which are arranged similarly to the pivots (1 (Z. In like manner sections a" and c' are secured to each other and to the section a. The section 0' has rigidly securedto it ashort opentop chute 0.

From the above description it is obvious that the section 0 may be swung either to the right or to the left of the longitudinal axis of the section A, while section 0' may be swung in like manner relatively to section a and likewise with sections 0 o. By this adjustmentI am able to provide in the same chute a conveyor which will convey material directly forward in a right line or at an angle to either side of said line. The angle of the longitudinal axis of the section 0 to that of portion A depends on the amount of swing given to the sections and varies from zero to ninety degrees.

My flexible chute is found to be very useful in conveying coal or the like to different portions of a bin or receptacle, also in conveying material around the corner of a building or in any place where the direction of delivery is necessarily other than straight. The chute may, however, be used for straight work. By making the conveyer open top throughout the greater portion of its length I am able to provide a chute much lighter in weight in comparison to the tubular chutes, whilethe'covered or tubular sections 0 c c" c serve not only to form a rigid structure, but also protect the delivered material from leaving the chute at the angle thereof where the direction of delivery is changed. In adjusting said sections 0 c, &c., from one angle to another I found that the sections were liable to become distorted or out ofalinenient-that is to say, sections 0 0 may swing portion A at its upper end and to fit into ato the left, while sections 0 0 would swing to the right. To avoid this distorting of the conveyor, which is more or less of an obstruction to the free passage of the material conveyed, I have provided the following means: Each section at a distance from its pivotal connection is provided with a perforated lug e. I have shown said lug as struck out of the metal forming the section, but any suitable means may be provided. Said lugs are formed on the sections in a right line when said sections are shown as in Fig. 3-that is, when the longitudinal axes of the sections and the portion A are in line. Extending loosely through each lug is a resilient rod f, which is rigidly secured to the piece or bar D at g. This rod serves to keep said sections in alinement, which is a right line when the sections are arranged as in Figs. 1 and 3 or a true curve when in the adjusted position shown, for example, in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

In order to retain my flexible chute in its various adjusted positions, I have provided a locking means consisting of the spring-bar h, pivotally secured to the section 0 near its lowerend and extendinglongitudinally of the chute. Said bar passes loosely through the swiveled fulcrum-piece 7L2 and is capable of sliding in the same. Abar 71- having notches h, is oifset from and rigidly secured to the main portion A. The rod It extends beneath said bar 7L3 and is provided with a rib h adapted to normally rest in one of said notches, and thereby lock the flexible chute in its adjusted position.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of my construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A flexible chute comprising a main body portion and a series of adjustable portions, and means for connecting said portions comprising spaced pivots arranged substantially one above the other in a vertical plane whereby said chute is vertically rigid and laterally flexible, and means for positivelylocking said sections in various laterally-adjusted positions for the purpose described.

2. A flexible chute comprising, rigid opentop end portions, a series of intermediate portions connected to each other and to said end portions, and means for connecting said portions comprising spaced pivots arranged substantially one above the other in a vertical plane whereby said chute is vertically rigid and laterally flexible, for the purpose described.

3. A flexible chute comprising open-top end portions and an intermediate cover portion flexibly connected to said end portions, for the purpose described.

at. A flexible chute comprising open-top end portions, and intermediate tubular tapered portions pivotally connected to each other and secured to said end portions, for the purpose described.

5. A flexible chute comprising an open-top portion A, a support D extending laterally of said portion A and secured thereto, a tubular portion pivotally secured to said portion A by pivots d d, the longitudinal axis of said pivots lying in substantially a vertical plane whereby said chute is vertically rigid and latorally flexible, for the purpose described.

6. A flexible chute comprising, a main portion A, and a series of tubular sections pivotally secured to each other and to said portion A by pairs of pivots, the longitudinal axes of each pair of pivots lying in a vertical plane whereby said chute is vertically rigid and laterally flexible, and means for positively locking said sections in various 1aterally-adjusted positions for the purpose described.

7. A flexible chute comprising a main portion A having a flat bottom A and side portion A ,a bar or support D rigidly secured to said portion A, a taper tubular portion pivotally secured to said portion A by rivets or bolts d, d, the longitudinal axes of said rivets or bolts lying in a line perpendicular to the plane of the bottom portion A for the purpose described.

8. A flexible chute comprising sections angularly adjustable relative to each other and 5 resilient means normally maintaining the 1ongitudinal axes of said sections in alinement.

9. A flexible chute comprising a series of sections pivotally secured to each other and resilient means normally maintaining the iongitudinal axes of said sections in alinement.

10. A flexible chute comprising a series of sections pivotally secured to each other, a perforated lug carried by each section, and a resilient rod extending through said perforated lugs, substantially as described.

11. A flexible chute comprisinga main body portion, a series of sections pivotally secured to each other and to said body portion, a perforated lug carried by each section at a distance from said pivot, and a resilient rod extending through said perforated lugs, and secured at its end to said body portion substantially as described.

12. A flexible chute comprising sections angularly adjustable relative to each other and means for locking said. chutes in various adjusted positions including a device secured to one end section and a retaining means for adjustably securing said device to the other end section substantially as described.

13. Aflexible chute comprisingsectionspivotally secured to each other whereby said sections may be angularly adjusted, means for maintaining said sections in alinement and means for locking said sections in various adjusted positions substantially as described.

14. A flexible chute comprising end sections and intermediate sections pivotally secured to each other and means for locking In testimony Whei'eof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. SACKETT.

'W'itnesses:

CHAS. O. MASON,

E. M. COREY. 

